Before my "conversion" to Double Guns, I used a Remington 1100 with a 28" barrel and had very good luck in hitting Grouse in New England's heavy cover. Never once banged a barrel into a tree.
I think the mind , being a fabulous computer, has a way of compensating for objects that are in our path. Be it walking, or swinging a gun. Can't claim that it works every time, but I certainly wouldn't rule out using or buying a gun with 28" or even 30" barrels, as my Grouse gun, if it fits and one likes it for other reasons. Now 32" might be pushing it.